While advocates of gun control may feel powerless in the wake of mass shootings like the one in Las Vegas, the history of government support for the industry shows Americans have more sway than they think.

Weapons used in the attack in San Bernardino in 2015.
Reuters/San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department/HandoutOctober 3, 2017

The sad truth is that it's all too easy to get hold of automatic weapons in Europe.

Despite declining gun fatalities, there should be no room for complacency in Australia, with an estimated 260,000 illegal guns in Australia – including this MP5K 9mm machine gun, seized in Queensland in 2013.
Dan Peled/AAPApril 15, 2015